In high frequency applications, it is often necessary to provide filtering in order to maintain signal integrity. The filtering can be accomplished by capacitively coupling each signal line passing through a connector to a common ground plane. The capacitive coupling can be accomplished in a number of ways including the use of chip capacitors or tubular filter components which surround each signal pin. One example of such tubular filter components is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,285. In this patent Schor et al. teach a plurality of ground planes which establish a low impedance ground return circuit for a filter pin connector having a connector pin, a tubular filter, and a housing. The ground planes consist of thin metal sheets which are in electrical contact with the outer surface of the tubular filter and are sandwiched between various insulators of the housing. Here the electrical contact between the tubular filter and the ground plane is formed by spring contact means therebetween. A problem exists with this interface in that precise center pin to center pin alignment is difficult to achieve due to the tubular filter diameter tolerances and the spring means which is used to make the electrical contact.
An alternate approach to forming this electrical connection is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,896. Here, the filter components are soldered to the ground plane. A problem exists with this arrangement in that the soldering operation may cause short circuits between adjacent pins, flux entrapment, or fractured contact interfaces. All of these problems reduce the effective yield of the finished connectors.